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PLEGRIDY® (peginterferon beta-1a) is an interferon beta indicated for the treatment of patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), to include clinically isolated syndrome, relapsing-remitting disease, and active secondary progressive disease, in adults.

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The ADVANCE clinical trial

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The ADVANCE trial study design1,2

The efficacy of high-dose, low-frequency PLEGRIDY was assessed from the placebo-controlled first year (48 weeks) of a 2-year, randomized, double-blind clinical study, including 1,512 patients with relapsing forms of MS.
 

Eligibility criteria1*

  • Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score of 0.0 to 5.0

*Confirmed disability progression was defined as follows: if the baseline EDSS score was 0, a sustained 12-week increase in EDSS score of 1.5 points was required; if the baseline EDSS score was greater than 0, a sustained 12-week increase in EDSS score of 1 point was required.1

  • ≥2 relapses within last 3 years, with at least 1 within 12 months prior to randomization1
  • The trial excluded patients with progressive forms of MS1


Baseline patient characteristics1,3

Study endpoints at 1 year1

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LOW-FREQUENCY DOSING—ONLY 26 SUBCUTANEOUS INJECTIONS PER YEAR1

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Important Safety Information

CONTRAINDICATIONS

  • PLEGRIDY® (peginterferon beta-1a) is contraindicated in patients with a history of hypersensitivity to natural or recombinant interferon beta or peginterferon, or any other component of the formulation

WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS

Hepatic Injury

  • Severe hepatic injury, including hepatitis, autoimmune hepatitis, and rare cases of severe hepatic failure, have been reported with interferon beta. Asymptomatic elevation of hepatic transaminases has also been reported, and in some patients has recurred upon rechallenge with interferon beta. Elevations in hepatic enzymes and hepatic injury have been observed with PLEGRIDY in clinical studies. Monitor liver function tests and patients for signs of hepatic injury. Consider discontinuation of PLEGRIDY if hepatic injury occurs

Depression and Suicide

  • Depression, suicidal ideation, and suicide occur more frequently in patients receiving interferon beta than in patients receiving placebo. Advise patients to report immediately any symptom of depression or suicidal ideation. If a patient develops depression or other severe psychiatric symptoms, consider stopping treatment with PLEGRIDY

Seizures

  • Seizures are associated with the use of interferon beta. The incidence of seizures in clinical studies was less than 1% in patients receiving PLEGRIDY and placebo. Exercise caution when administering PLEGRIDY to patients with a seizure disorder

Anaphylaxis and Other Allergic Reactions

  • Anaphylaxis and other serious allergic reactions are rare complications of treatment with interferon beta. Less than 1% of PLEGRIDY-treated patients experienced a serious allergic reaction such as angioedema or urticaria. Discontinue PLEGRIDY if a serious allergic reaction occurs

Injection Site Reactions

  • Injection site reactions, including injection site necrosis, can occur with the use of subcutaneous interferon beta. The incidence of injection site reactions (e.g., injection site erythema, pain, pruritus, or edema) was 66% in the PLEGRIDY group (3% were severe) and 11% in the placebo group (0% were severe). One patient out of 1468 patients who received PLEGRIDY experienced injection site necrosis. Decisions to discontinue therapy following necrosis at a single injection site should be based on the extent of the necrosis. If therapy is continued, avoid administration of PLEGRIDY near the affected area until it is fully healed. If multiple lesions occur, discontinue PLEGRIDY until healing occurs

Congestive Heart Failure

  • Congestive heart failure, cardiomyopathy, and cardiomyopathy with congestive heart failure occur in patients receiving interferon beta. The incidence of cardiovascular events was 7% in both PLEGRIDY and placebo treatment groups. Monitor patients with significant cardiac disease for worsening of their cardiac condition during initiation and continuation of treatment with PLEGRIDY

Decreased Peripheral Blood Counts

  • Interferon beta can cause decreased peripheral blood counts in all cell lines, including rare instances of pancytopenia and severe thrombocytopenia. Decreases in white blood cell counts below 3.0 x 109/L occurred in 7% of patients receiving PLEGRIDY and in 1% receiving placebo. The incidence of clinically significant decreases in lymphocyte counts (below 0.5 x 109/L), neutrophil counts (below 1.0 x 109/L), and platelet counts (below 100 x 109/L) were all less than 1% and similar in both placebo and PLEGRIDY groups. Monitor patients for infections, bleeding, and symptoms of anemia. Monitor complete blood cell counts, differential white blood cell counts, and platelet counts during treatment with PLEGRIDY. Patients with myelosuppression may require more intensive monitoring of blood cell counts

Thrombotic microangiopathy

  • Cases of thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA), including thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura and hemolytic uremic syndrome, some fatal, have been reported several weeks to years after starting interferon beta products. Discontinue PLEGRIDY if clinical symptoms and laboratory findings consistent with TMA occur, and manage as clinically indicated

Autoimmune disorders

  • Autoimmune disorders of multiple target organs including idiopathic thrombocytopenia, hyper- and hypothyroidism, and autoimmune hepatitis have been reported with interferon beta. The incidence of autoimmune disorders was less than 1% in both PLEGRIDY and placebo treatment groups. If patients develop a new autoimmune disorder, consider stopping PLEGRIDY

MOST COMMON SIDE EFFECTS

  • The most common adverse reactions (incidence greater than 10% and at least 2% more than placebo) associated with PLEGRIDY treatment are injection site erythema, influenza-like illness, pyrexia, headache, myalgia, chills, injection site pain, asthenia, injection site pruritus, and arthralgia

PREGNANCY

  • There is a pregnancy exposure registry that monitors pregnancy outcomes in women exposed to PLEGRIDY during pregnancy
  • Encourage patients who become pregnant while taking PLEGRIDY to enroll in the PLEGRIDY pregnancy registry by calling 1-866-810-1462 or visiting https://www.plegridypregnancyregistry.com

Please see full Prescribing Information.

Indication

PLEGRIDY® (peginterferon beta-1a) is an interferon beta indicated for the treatment of patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), to include clinically isolated syndrome, relapsing-remitting disease, and active secondary progressive disease, in adults.

References: 1.  PLEGRIDY Prescribing Information. Cambridge, MA: Biogen; 2015. 2. Calabresi PA, Kieseier BC, Arnold DL, et al. Pegylated interferon β-1a for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (ADVANCE): a randomised, phase 3, double-blind study. Lancet Neurol. 2014;13(7):657-665. doi:10.1016/S1474-4422(14)70068-7. 3. Data on file. Biogen.

INDICATION & IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

Important Safety Information

CONTRAINDICATIONS

WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS

Hepatic Injury

Depression and Suicide

Seizures

Anaphylaxis and Other Allergic Reactions

Injection Site Reactions

Congestive Heart Failure

Decreased Peripheral Blood Counts

Thrombotic microangiopathy

Autoimmune disorders

MOST COMMON SIDE EFFECTS

PREGNANCY

Please see full Prescribing Information.

Indication

PLEGRIDY® (peginterferon beta-1a) is an interferon beta indicated for the treatment of patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), to include clinically isolated syndrome, relapsing-remitting disease, and active secondary progressive disease, in adults.